South Africa Top Court Legalises Use of Marijuana

South Africa’s top court unanimously legalized the private use of cannabis on Tuesday, upholding a lower court’s decision ruling that it was “unconstitutional and therefore invalid” to criminalize the drug, BBC reports.

The decision allows adults to consume cannabis in private and grow marijuana for private consumption.

“It will not be a criminal offense for an adult person to use or be in possession of cannabis in private for his or her personal consumption,” Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo wrote in his judgment.

The court has given parliament 24 months to adopt the ruling, which is binding. Using cannabis in public, as well as selling and supplying it, is still illegal. Parliament will decide on the quantity of cannabis a person can grow or use in private.

The government had previously opposed legalizing marijuana, known as dagga in South Africa, which it considered “harmful” to people’s health.

The ruling was welcomed by pro-marijuana activists and the Cannabis Development Council of South Africa, which appealed to the government to absolve people previously found in possession of cannabis, BBC reports.